Best Ever Flaky Pie Crust Recipe

Do you ever eat a pie and fork out the filling, leaving the crust behind? In less than 15 minutes you can have 4 pie crusts ready to bake or freeze and this crust is so good, you’ll be leaving the filling just to eat the crust! In fact, my seven-year-old did that tonight. You can also have home baked bread in less than 5 minutes a day.

When I was little, we made the hour trip to go visit my great-grandmother. We didn’t get to go very often, but I remember her house and beautiful rose bushes even though I was quite young. My mother is an excellent baker and cook, but I never liked pie crust. Until I tasted this one. I had never eaten pie crust before and when I ate the entire piece of pie, crust included, my mom switched her recipe as fast as my great-grandmother could write it out.

And now I’m thrilled to share it with you. Be warned, this flaky pastry pie crust recipe is the best I’ve ever had. Like melt in your mouth going to eat the entire thing in one sitting, so grab a big ol’ fork.

1 and 3/4 cup lard (learn how to render your own lard), butter, or coconut oil (You can use any mixture you have)s

1 Tablespoon sugar (I use organic evaporated cane juice)

2 tsp. sea salt

1 Tblsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

1 egg

1/2 cup cold water

Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in lard, butter, or coconut oil. Note: In order to achieve flaky crust, your lard, butter, or coconut oil needs to be cold. It’s the pieces of solid fat distributed throughout the flour which melt upon baking that create the flakiness. You can freeze your butter or lard before cutting it in. The large side of a cheese grater works great with frozen butter.

Cut in lard, butter, or coconut oil

Add your liquids

Fat all cut in, ready to add liquids

Chill for 15 minutes. Take out dough and divide into four equal balls. Wrap and freeze for later use or roll out and bake your favorite quiche or pie. I love this paired with a jar of my home canned apple pie filling for a quick from scratch dessert.

Ready to freeze

If you’re not baking today, take unbaked pie dough ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Toss in freezer. When ready to use, thaw flaky pastry crust dough in fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours. Lightly flour surface, flatten dough ball with hand, and then roll to desired thinness.

Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in lard, butter, or coconut oil. Note: In order to achieve flaky crust, your lard, butter, or coconut oil needs to be cold. It’s the pieces of solid fat distributed throughout the flour which melt upon baking that create the flakiness. You can freeze your butter or lard before cutting it in. The large side of a cheese grater works great with frozen butter.

Fat is fully cut in when the flour is crumbly pea size pieces. Add in liquids until dough just holds together. You don't want to over mix it.

Chill dough in the fridge for 15 minutes. Use to bake pies or separate into four equal balls, wrap, and freeze.

3.2.1275

This flaky pastry pie crust recipe is excellent in traditional pies, savory meat pies, and tarts. If you’d like more traditional recipes, I have over 40 in my book Pioneering Today-Faith and Home the Old Fashioned Way. You can read the first chapter for free!

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About the Author

Melissa K. Norris inspires people's faith and pioneer roots with her books, podcast, and blog. Melissa lives with her husband and two children in their own little house in the big woods in the foothills of the North Cascade Mountains. When she's not wrangling chickens and cattle, you can find her stuffing Mason jars with homegrown food and playing with flour and sugar in the kitchen.

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I'm Melissa, follower of Jesus, lover of Mason jars, canning addict, homesteader, writer of words on the page, wife, and mother on our own Little House in the Big Woods. I believe everyone needs a little bit of Pioneering Today in their lives, won't you join me?

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